A’Tavola
New aNd Notable The valley’s newest arrivals in food and booze Tara Morgan | PhoTograPh by Laurie PearMan
We spotted them in other cities, huddled in cliques in parking lots, all dolled up and sighing plumes of smoke. They were enviously cutting edge and always on the move. And when we issued a plea to Boise to get hip with the times and join the cool kids back in March 2011, we had no idea just what that would mean for the Treasure Valley food scene. Since then, it seems like a new food truck has rolled out every week. From off-shoots like b29 streatery—a mobile wagon slinging more populist versions of Dustan Bristol’s James Beard Award-winning Brick 29 fare—to the niche, like Archie’s Place sloppy joe and soup truck, 2011 was undoubtedly the year of the food truck in Boise. This past year in restaurant openings also furthered the local/sustainable foods trend. The Northwest-themed bistro Fork opened in the cursed Boise City National Bank building and has made its name slinging dishes like chicken and cheddar waffles. Further from the city center, salt Tears coffeehouse and Noshery opened in the Collister Shopping Center in January 2011. The project of former MilkyWay owner Andrea Maricich, Salt Tears offers up small plates and Doma coffee during the day and pours wine and 74 | RESTAURANT ANd bAR GUIdE 2012 | boiseweekly
microbrews in the eve, dishing out not-to-miss Pizza. The restaurant dishes up wacky pies like family-style meals on Wednesday nights. the Galactic Fair with mini corn dogs, chili, red Not to be left out, Nampa’s husband-andonions and cheddar cheese. On the downtown wife restaurateurs Clif and Tracy Volpi opened front, Ketchum-Hailey pizza purveyor wiseguy simple sushi in March 2011, serving only certiPizza Pie took over the former Chronic Tacos fied sustainable fish and ample vegan fare. location in early 2012. The joint slings handIn other trendy opening news, Caterer Lisa tossed New York-style, stone-deck oven pizza. Peterson—of Boise Co-op and Idaho ShakeWhile 2011 did bring a new winebar to the speare Festival fame—opened downtown scene, The Press, A’ Tavola in the former Donnie 2012 is gearing up to be all oTher 2011 Mac’s building in the Linen about the brew house. MeNew ANd NoTAble District. In a white-washed open ridian staple brewforia and oPeNiNgs: space that feels like a scaledits Bown Crossing offshoot north Shore hot Dog down version of Mario Batali’s bier:Thirty have blazed the Company, Sofia’s greek uber popular Eataly in New York multiple micro tap trend that bistro and Shige Teriyaki in Meridian. City, Peterson offers prepared will soon explode in downtown. salads and sandwiches, along The Taphouse, which will offer with to-go lasagnas and enchi44 taps with rotating regional ladas. A’ Tavola also includes and local brews and pub grub rocking cheese and cured meat counters, along fare, is slated to open in the space that forwith a coffeeshop and bakery. merly housed The Lobby. Down the street, In the tried-and-true column, Boise also 10 barrel brewing co. out of Bend, Ore., will added a few new pizza joints to the roster. In open a satellite location in Boise at Ninth and late August 2011, Christine Reid (of Red Room Bannock streets. 10 Barrel’s menu will also and Locavore notoriety) opened an eclectic, focus on classic pub fare, with an emphasis on retro space-themed pizza joint called cosmic simple, quality ingredients.
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